Pablo Escobedo took Maria for his bride
In the dead of winter, 1885
A bitter snow was fallin' when a dozen ragged men
Surrounded the little chapel, trapping Pablo in
They told him "Surrender, or we'll burn the whole place down"
And Pablo whispered "Death can't hurt me now
Stay here my Maria, and remember me this way"
Then he kissed her lips and they dragged him away
And she heard him
Calling to her
Sweet Maria
Can you hear me?
Muffled echoes up and down the frozen canyon walls
Maria
How I love you
‘Till the lonesome sound had nowhere else to go
And was swallowed in the January snow
When silence fell the solemn priest said "God will avenge, my child"
Maria just stared right through him, hollow-eyed and wild
Stumbling into the muddy street she lifted her eyes to see
The twisting awkward silhouette now still beneath the tree
No one dared to touch her as she left her lover there
And ran down toward the river with the wind whipping her hair
Snowflakes swirled behind her like the finest flowing train
And the north wind moaned and whispered as if it knew her pain
And she swore she
Still heard him calling
Sweet Maria
Can you hear me
Muffled echoes up and down the frozen canyon walls
Maria
How I love you
‘Til she reached the edge of the river far below
And lept into the January snow
If you're ever down in Texas in a January snow
And you hear a mournful whisper in the north wind as it blows
You may feel the lonesome presence of a lady all in white
Weeping in the distance, just out of your sight
And you may hear him
Calling to her
Sweet Maria
Can you hear me
Muffled echoes up and down the frozen canyon walls
Maria
How I love you
‘Til the lonesome sound has nowhere else to go
And it's swallowed in the January snow